Closed envelope package openable for inspection of contents



1 m n 7, m l 2 S 9 .t w 2 h ,S Don s F E L LDAD Ams www am eww mmc F mm@ KEN cm LLM www LEm DI Lm O L C Jan. 19, 1960 Flled July 1e, 1957 Jan. 19, 1960 l. voLcKENlNG ETAL 2,921,731

CL D ENVELOPE PACKAGE OPENABLE FOR INSPECTION OF CONTENTS Filed July 16, 1957 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jan. 19, 1960 L, VOLCKENING E TAL 2,921,731

CLOSED ENVELOPE PACKAGE OPENABLE FOR INSPECTION OF' CONTENTS F'lled July 16, 1957 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 lnll |||m||||||| ing United States Patent l CLOSED ENVELOPE PACKAGE OPENABLE FOR INSPECTION OF CONTENTS Lloyd I. Volckeuing, Glen Ridge, John R. OMeara, North Caldwell, and Frank J. Lefebvre, Caldwell, NJ., assignors to Ivers-Lee Company, Newark, NJ., a corporation of Delaware Application July 16, 1957, Serial No. 672,149

1 Claim. (Cl. 229-76) This invention relates in general to envelopes for cards, leaflets, small article packages and the like, and more particularly the invention contemplates an envelope package comprised of a plurality of layers of sheet material sealed together in zones forming and bounding a compartment containing a card, leaflet, article, package or the like. 1

Y A primary object of the invention is to provide an envelope of this character which shall be normally closed in such a manner as to prevent accidental or unintended displacement or removal of the card, leaflet or package but shall be easily openable when it is desired to remove or inspect the contents of the envelope.

Another object of the invention is to provide such an envelope package which shall be formed in a novel and improved manner such that the card, leaflet, or package can be easily and quickly enclosed within the compartment of the envelope and the envelope can be easily and quickly opened for inspection of the contents of the package and for removal thereof when desired.

A further object is to provide a package of this character which shall have at least one transparent wall portion which shall provide easy visibility of the contents of the envelope, so that, if desired, a mailing address may be applied to the card, leaflet or package within the envelope and be easily read through the envelope wall.

A still further object is to provide a package of the nature described which shall have one wall portion transparent and another wall portion opaque Awhereby the contents of the envelope may be visible through the transparent portion and a mailing address or other indicia may be applied to the outer surface of the opaque portion.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a novel and improved combination and arrangement of sheets of material to produce an envelope having adjacent edge portions of two sheets in loosely overlapping relation -to each other so that the edge portion of the uppermost sheet may be pulled away from the edge portion of the lowermost sheet to provide an opening for inspection or removal of the contents of the envelope; and to obtain other advantages and results brought out bythe following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in whichp Figure l is a front elevational view of an envelope having an indicia bearing card, leaet or folder disposed in the compartment thereof, embodying the invention;

Figure 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectionalrview approximately on the plane of the line 2 2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a rear elevational view thereof with portions broken away and showing a mailing address on the card, leaet or folder that is visible through one wall of the envelope;

vFigure 4 is a front elevational view of the envelope partially completed and showing one manner of inserting the card, leaflet or folder into the envelope compart.

ment;

' Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 1 showing the Patented Jan. 19,1969

2 manner of opening the envelope for inspection or removal of the contents thereof;

Figure 6 is a schematic perspective view of three sheets of packaging material separated from each other but arranged for production of the envelope of Figure 1 and before sealing of the sheets together;

Figure 7 is a View similar to Figure l showing a modication of the invention wherein all walls of the envelope are opaque;

Figure 8 is a rear elevational view of the envelope shown in Figure 7; K

Figure 9 'is a vertical longitudinal sectional view on the plane of the line 9-9 of Figure 7;

Figure 10 is a similar view on the plane of the line 10-10 of Figure 7;

Figure 11 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view through the single sheet of material of which the en' velope is formed before folding of the sheet;

Figure 12 is a similar view showing the rst fold of the sheet;

Figure 13v is a view like Figure 12 showing the next and final fold of the sheet and before sealing ofthe overlying portions of the sheet;

Figure 14 is a horizontal sectional view onthe plane of the line 14-14 of Figure 7;

Figure 15 is a similar view on the plane of the line 15-' 1S of Figure 7;

Figure 16 is a detached plan view of the folder shown in Figures 7 and 8;

Figure 17 is a view similar to Figure 1 showing a article-containing package in the envelope;

Figure 18 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view onl the plane of the line 18--18 of Figure 17;

Figure 19 is a rear elevational view of the envelope shown in Figure 17;

Figure 20 is a front elevational view of the envelope showing the manner of opening the envelope for inspection or removal of the article-containing package;

Figure 21 is a view similar to Figure 6 showing the relation of the three sheets of material of'wwhich the package is formed, arranged for production of the` package and before sealing of the sheets together; and

Figure 22 is a view similar to Figure 17 showingan normally closed by their overlapping contact to preventA the escape or removal of the compartment contents and the uppermost of said overlapping portions being turnable` or foidable away from the lowermost portion to provide an opening between said edge portions through which the envelope contents may be inspected or removed.V V

The invention also contemplates various combinations of sheets of transparent and opaque material.

Specifically describing the embodiment of the inveutio t illustrated in Figures 1-6 inclusive the packageis shown as formed of three strips of suitable packaging material. One sheet 1 has arlength and width corresponding to the overall length and width of therenvelope; a second sheet 2 has a width corresponding to the width of the sheet 1` but is shorter than said sheet 1 and is arranged with one end edge and its two side edges coincident with. the corresponding end edge and side edges of the sheet 1 as best shown in Figure 6 so that the other end edge of the sheet 2 terminates short of the corresponding end edge.

of the sheet 1. The third sheet 3 is of such size and shape that'its side edges are coincident withthe side edges of the sheets 1 and 2 while one end edge is coincident with Y the second-mentioned end edgeV of thesheet 1 and its other end edge overlaps the second mentioned end edge of the sheet 2.

' and leaving the end edge or marginal portions of the two sheets 1 and 2 unsealed, as shown invFigure 4. The card, feaet or folder A is slipped into the envelope between the said edge portions of the sheets 1 and 2 as shown in Figure 4, after which said edge portions of thesheets are sealed in a zone 8. The completed envelope isA closed so as Vto prevent accidental Vor. unintended displacement or Vremoval of the card,'leaet or folder A from the compartment of Vthe envelope, but the edge portion of the sheet 3 may be turned or exed outwardly as shown in' Figure 5 and by brokenlines` in Figure 2, to permit inspection or removal of the card, leaet or folder. AThe heat4 sealing and crimping of theV edges of the envelope at 4,3 5, 3a, andS stiiens the edges of the envelope against crumpling and bending so that the third layer is normally heldf ini yielding flat, snug contact with the shorter layer. In this form of the invention, all of the sheets 1, 2, and 3 are shown as transparent, and suitable indicia characters or inscriptions.9,. for example a mailing address, may be Written or printed on one side of the card, leaet or folder and will bevisible through the transparent wall of the envelope, in the present instance the sheet 1 as shown in Figure 3; and a prepaid postage stamp 10 may be applied to the card, leaflet or folder in the usual Way for mailing the envelope and its contents.

If desired, the envelope may he formed by first sealing the longitudinal sideV edge portions of the sheets 1 and 2 and the coincident edge portions of said sheets, omitting the sheet 3, whereuponl the card, leaet or folder may be inserted into the envelope compartment between the unsealed end edge portions of the sheets 1 and 2.

Then the sheet 3 may be sealed to the sheets 1 and 2 to completely close the envelope compartment.

Amodication of the invention is shown in Figures 7-,16 inclusive where the envelope is formed of one Y piece or strip 11 of suitable material which in the present edge portion in overlapping relation to the free edge of the -secondary portion 14, Vas shown in Figure 13. The portions or layers 13, 14 and 16 correspond to the sheets or layers 1, 2 and 3, respectively, and are sealed together along their longitudinal edges or marginal portions in zones A17 and along the folds or lmarginal portions 12 and k15 in. zones 18 and 19, respectively. With this form of the invention, obviously. the card, leaflet or folder B preferably will be inserted between the portionsV 13 and 14 Vbefore the portion16 is foldedfinwardly over the portion I4.

' A mailing address or other suitable indicia or inscriptions may be applied to the outer surface of either of the portions .13 and 14 as shown in Figure 8.

i When it is desired to inspect or' remove the contents of the envelope, theportion 16 may be folded outwardly or away from the underlying edge of the'portion 14 to provide an opening for access to the envelope contents.

Figures 17-21 inclusive show an envelope in general similar to that illustrated by Figures 1 6 inclusive, which is specifically adapted fora substantially flat package containing commodities such as articles, liquid .2,921,731Y Y y l powder or paste. The envelope is shown as comprising a main orback sheet 22 which is opaque and mayv be formed of foil or paper and corresponds to the sheet 1. Second and third sheets 23y and 24 that are preferably transparent correspond to the sheets 2 and 3 of Figure 1. The three sheets are sealed together in zonesrZS and 26 along their longitudinal edges and in zones 27 and 28 along their endedges, correspondingftoV the zones 4, 5, 3 and 8 of FigureV l. @ne 'edge portion ofthe small third sheet 24 between the side edge sealed zones25 and 26 lies in overlying contact with the correspondingk edge portion of the sheet 23 but is unsealed thereto so that it may be turned back to provide an opening for access to the package 29 that contains articles such as .tablets 30, as shown in Figure 20. It will be understod that the package 29 may be inserted into the envelope compartment in the same manner as the card, leaflet or folder A, as above described.

Suitable indicia, inscriptions 31 such as a mailing address, or advertising matter may be printed on the outside of the opaque wall 22 of the envelope as `shown in Figure 19.

Figure 2l shows another form of the invention where- Y in the envelope is formed of three sheets or layers of material sealed together in the same way as the sheets 1, 2 and 3 or the layers 13, 14 and 16, and having therein a package 32 that containsa commodity such as paste or powder 33. Y

The sheets or layers of material may be either trans parent or opaque or one thereof may be transparent and the other opaque, as desired, but where it is not desired to apply indicia or inscriptions or printed matter to the article-containing package but it is desirable to either indicate the contents of the envelope or provide a mailing inscription for the envelope, a label 34 may beadhesively applied to the outer surface of either the front or rear wall of the envelope.

Other modifications and changes in the construction of the envelope and the method of making it in accordance with the .invention Will occur to those skilled in the art. It will also be understood thatv while the overlapping edge portions of the layers have been shown in closely spaced relation to one end of the rectangular package, these edge portions might be located at other positions in the package. Also, it will be understood that the layers or vsheets may be sealed together in any suitable manner but preferably are thermoplastically sealed.

What we claim is:

An envelope package comprising rst and second rectangular layers of flexible sheet material of different lengths, each having one-end marginal portion coincident with and secured to one end marginal portion of the other layer and each of its longitudinal side marginal portions coincident with and heat sealed and crimped to one longitudinal marginal portion of said other layer, the other end edge of the shorter layer terminating short of the corresponding end marginal portion of the longer layer, and a rectangular third layer having each of two opposite marginal portions coincident with and heat sealed and crimped to one of said longitudinal side marginal portions of the other layers, the third marginal portion of said thirdV layer being coincident with and heat sealed and crimped to the second-mentioned end marginal portion of the longer layer, and the fourth edge portion of said third layer being inoverlapping and loose contact with the second-mentioned end marginal portion of said shorter layer, the sealing and crimping of said layers together along all of said marginal portions except said two overlapping marginal portions of the shorter and the third layers providing a compartment between said layers and stiffening the edges of the envelope and normally holding said third layer in flat, snug contact with said shorter layer, said overlapping marginal portions of the shorter layer and the third layer closing said compartment and the outermost of said overlapping marginal 5 portions being capable of being flexed outwardly from the underlying marginal portion to provide an opening between said overlapping marginal portions through which an article may be removed from and re-inserted nto'said compartment.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,198,200 Deutschmeister Sept. 12, 1916 6 Austin Jan. 3, 1939 Salsberg Oct. 13, 1942 Hoeppner et al. Dec. 9, 1952 Bartelt Iune 23, 1953 Y FOREIGN PATENTS Great lBritain May 30, 1929 

